Delegating work and the danger in creating too many managerial roles - CareerAlley

Delegating work and the danger in creating too many managerial roles - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Ninety percent of the game is half mental Yogi Berra Successfully running a business takes talent and dedication, and any manager worth their salt will already know that a nuanced approach is required to ensure the entire team plays to its strengths. However, the economic uncertainty of recent years has prompted widespread cutbacks in many firms, with investment plans scaled back and job losses regrettably common. Unfortunately, some businesses have cut in just about every area except the one where there is real fat to be trimmed management. The reasons for this are numerous, although there have been questions over whether the seemingly cosy relationships between managerial figures have prevented them from making a realistic appraisal of what they each offer to the organisation as a whole. Although it might sound like a bit of a clich, the old adage that too many cooks spoil the broth does appear to have more than a hint of truth to it where management is concerned. One of the big problems with creating an excessive amount of managerial roles is that it can result in an expansion in bureaucratic processes which can in turn impede overall performance. After all, theres nothing your average manager likes more than to have something to keep them busy but its important to ensure excessive interference from on high doesnt become a hindrance to your employees on the ground floor, so to speak. Whats more, having too many managerial roles and all the bureaucracy that so often follows can prevent real leadership qualities from coming to the fore. Other members of the team in non-management positions, meanwhile, may feel discouraged from acting on their own initiative by the stifling managerial structures in place, and thereby prevented from reaching their true potential. Managerial interference can create a workplace culture which is fundamentally risk averse if it is allowed to run riot. Light-touch management, on the other hand, can prove far more effective by freeing workers from the reams of documentation that so often prove to be of little value to the organisation as a whole. Theres also the question of just who manages the managers. Keeping track of what each managerial figure actually does becomes more and more difficult the more of them there are, making it harder to work out just how important they are. It therefore also becomes harder to disentangle the internal red tape that is such a source of frustration to employees and even some managers themselves. A more laissez-faire approach, although it may seem anathema to many modern businesses, could in fact allow individuals to display their true worth. Jaimy Howard writes on behalf of Edenred, they specialise in employee benefits and employee savings. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search.Visit me on Facebook